This check was in response to the WCAG 2 HTML technique 9.2 "Use text
equivalents for images which are used as links." [1]
The technique deals with images and (I think) is meant to solve the problem
that occurs when the author uses an image alone (no text) as the anchor. If
you can't see the image then you won't have any information about the link
destination.
> Why is an empty anchor tag considered an error?
>
The WCAG 2 HTML techs currently don't say anything about link text. The WCAG
1 requirement for not using meaningless link text (e.g. "click here") is
missing in the WCAG 2. So it appears that empty link text would be OK!?
Michael - Can you remind us what's happening the technique for link text?
[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-HTML-TECHS/#imagelink
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shane Anderson" <Shane@cpd2.usu.edu>
To: <chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca>
Cc: <w3c-wai-er-ig@w3.org>; <andrew_kirkpatrick@wgbh.org>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: [check 7] ALT text can't be empty (null or all spaces) if image
is used as an anchor
> hi all,
>
> I have a few questions about the anchor tag that arose from reading Chris'
post.
>
> Why is an empty anchor tag considered an error? Is it because it is
syntactically incorrect, or is it because some user agents do not use them
correctly?
>
> Please include authoritative documentation in answering these questions,
if possible.
>
> Thanks
>
> Shane Anderson
> Programmer Analyst
> Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM.org)